Chiropractic adjustments in Port Orchard, WA, are a method of improving the health of your spine and the nervous system. This treatment involves Dr. Brian Willyard of Action Chiropractic putting vertebrae back in their correct position, which can prevent nerve irritation and relieve pain.
Chiropractic Care for Spinal Misalignment
When you have a spinal misalignment, also known as a subluxation, you may experience headaches, muscle spasms, stiffness, and numbness in your arms and legs. These types of ailments can interfere with your ability to perform everyday activities.
Chiropractic care is a safe, natural, and effective way to treat headaches and other musculoskeletal problems. A chiropractor will look for the source of the problem and try to correct it. The treatment is also an alternative to medication, surgery, or other drugs.
Depending on the severity of the case, your chiropractor may suggest other treatments. In some cases, Dr. Willyard will recommend X-rays, imaging tests of the spine, and soft tissue rehabilitation.
Low Back Pain
One of the most common reasons patients seek chiropractic care is for low back pain. The pain can be severe and affect the quality of life. However, some patients seek it for other reasons as well.
Chiropractic adjustments in Port Orchard, WA, can help alleviate pain by improving the range of motion, reducing stiffness, and restoring the central nervous system's ability to function correctly. They can also improve your overall health.
Treatment of Sciatica
Another common reason for adjustments by your chiropractor is sciatica. Sciatica is a condition that causes pain in your lower back and tingling or numbness down the sides of your thighs.
Unfortunately, you can also suffer from other pinched-nerve conditions that cause similar symptoms, such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Fortunately, there are many effective methods of treating these ailments, with adjustments being the chiropractor’s specialty.
If you are suffering from any of the above mentioned problems, you should contact a chiropractor immediately. This can help you get back to a pain-free lifestyle.
Dr. Willyard will also be able to recommend exercises and stretches that will improve the way your body works.
Neck and Lower Back Pain
In addition to neck and lower back pain, some patients experience headaches, shoulder pain, or numbness in their extremities. Chiropractic adjustments can help reduce these symptoms and speed up healing.
When you visit Dr. Willyard, make sure to mention any pain you are experiencing so that he can determine whether or not you have an alignment issue.
Studies have shown that patients can benefit from adjustments by their chiropractor, especially those with low back pain or a herniated disc.
Are you experiencing any of the ailments discussed above? Call Action Chiropractic at (360) 876-6865 to schedule your chiropractic adjustments in Port Orchard, WA, with Dr. Willyard.
Chiropractic adjustments are performed to treat a wide variety of conditions, including (but not limited to):
- Arthritis
- Bursitis
- Carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive strain disorders
- Chronic muscle pain and stiffness
- Headaches
- Most musculoskeletal and sports-related injuries
- Nerve disorders
- Pain and stiffness in the back, chest, abdomen, neck, hips and shoulders, as well as extremities, such as arms, legs, and feet
- Sciatica pain
- Scoliosis
- Tendonitis
- Whiplash and other traumatic injuries
Adjustments can be performed while sitting, standing, or lying down. Some adjustments involve special instruments or tables.
Some common adjustment techniques include:
- Instrument adjustments, which involve a spring-loaded device.
- Lumbar roll, in which the chiropractor applies a firm, yet quick thrust to a misaligned vertebra while the patient lies on his or her side.
- Motion palpation, a hand technique the chiropractor uses to determine if your vertebrae are properly aligned.
- Release work, in which the chiropractor uses gentle pressure with the fingers to separate the vertebrae.
- Table adjustments, which entail lying on a specially designed table that drops when pressure is applied to a specific area. The dropping motion allows more gentle adjustments than some manual adjustments do.
- Toggle drop, which entails firm pressure applied on a specific area of the spine by using crossed hands.
Chiropractors take many factors-including size, weight, and muscle structure-into consideration when deciding on which adjustment to make. Sometimes, ice, electrical stimulation, or massage therapy (including traction massage) are used prior to a spinal manipulation in order to relax the muscles.
In some cases, it may necessary to perform an adjustment while you are sedated.
Spinal manipulation under anesthesia, which is considered a very safe procedure, is usually reserved for patients with conditions such as chronic neck, back, and joint pain, muscle spasm, shortened muscles, and fibrous adhesions.
Another form of adjustment called craniosacral therapy, or "CST," involves exerting very mild pressure to the body's craniosacral system, which is comprised of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. This includes cranium-which is composed of the skull, face and mouth, and the "sacrum," or tailbone.
CST has been shown to provide relief from chronic neck and back pain, scoliosis, brain and spinal cord injuries, migraines, chronic fatigue, nervous system disorders, jaw joint problems, and stress disorders. (Conditions such as aneurysm and intracranial hemorrhage prohibit this kind of therapy.)
Adjustments almost always do not involve any pain or discomfort. The important thing for a patient to keep in mind is to remain relaxed, because stiffening up may impede the adjustment process. Popping sounds are sometimes heard during adjustments; these are usually pockets of air being released behind a joint or other bony structure.
Adjustments can leave you with a greater sense of well-being, calm, and most importantly, on the road to a life without pain. Following an adjustment, some patients experience mild aching or soreness in their spinal joints or muscles, which can usually be relieved by an ice or heat pack.
Adjustments have been shown to:
- Increase blood flow
- Increase pain tolerance levels
- Increase range of motion
- Increase the body's secretion of "good" chemicals, such as melatonin and endorphins
- Reduce blood pressure
- Reduce tension and muscle pressure
